Training Bettas.

[Demysta]

So far I've trained my betta to eat from my finger, jump for his food, and flare on command at a black sharpie. What I can't do yet is get him to follow my finger... I've tried wiggling my finger and hoping to get him to follow it, but he loses interest in it very easily. The sharpie he only associates with the flare trick, so he doesn't follow it. Odd that I got my little guy to do all those more complicated things rather than the simple act of following my finger... XD

I do want to train my little guy to do the little hoop trick (for those that don't know: getting your betta to swim through a hoop is what I'm talking about), but since he doesn't like following my finger, I'm at a loss of how to do it, exactly. Any suggestions?

[ChoclateBetta]

Where did you get yours?

[Demysta]

I got him from Petsmart. He was a very unhealthy little fella with a shredded tail when I got him, so I always thought of him as a rescue. :P

[ChoclateBetta]

I meant the hoop. Love the Betta though.

[Demysta]

You can make one easily. Thats what I'd suggest. You can go to a crafts store or an arts store and they usually have those bendable plastics you can attach together to make a hoop. Or you can use rope if you feel like too, that's what I'm opting for.
Haven't placed the rope hoop in the water yet, still working on trying to get him to follow my finger >.>

[ChoclateBetta]

I dont think we have that kind of stuff here.

[Demysta]

You could try ordering it online. There's something called the R2 Fish School training set and it comes with hoops and other stuff too. Even things to teach a fish soccer, oddly enough. From what I see on eBay, its relatively cheap.

[Hallyx]

Put a bloodworm on your finger. Heck, I'd follow that!

[ChoclateBetta]

Many Bettas will follow your finger period.

[SinX7]

Originally Posted by ChoclateBetta

Many Bettas will follow your finger period.

Mines doesn't :< maybe I should do more treats lol